Fastening for shoe-laces



L. J. .WORDEN. SHOELAGE PASTENER.

No 26,939. Patented Jan. 24, 1860.

775322 awe; f z/291M5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD J. WORDEN, OF UTIGA, NEW YORK.

FASTENING FOR SHOE-LACES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,939, dated January 24, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD J. WORDEN, of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Securing Shoe-Laces; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a metallic slide or fastening of peculiar construction by means of which shoe laces are secured at the top of the shoe in a neat expeditious and substantial manner.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction.

A (Figure l) is a perspective view of the fastener, being cut out of sheet metal, and formed of one continuous piece, by being bent double and the two surfaces brought closely together, (with the exception of the loop hole in the center, and on the under side) which is formed for the reception of the shoe string, thetwo ends are then firmly secured together by bending the extreme end of the upper part, of the fastener over the opposite, end and firmly clenching it down upon the same.

B (Fig. 2) is a view of the fastener turned over showing the form and construction of the under side, and of the loop hole through which the laces are passed.

D is a small oblong hole formed in the center and near the edge of the under plate, by dies or other equivalent means the outer edge of which is pressed down firmly to the upper part of the fastener, in order to give strength and permanency to the same, the object of the hole being to guide the string or lace, and prevent it spreading at the lower edge of the fastener, when applied to the shoe in the manner described.

C (Fig. 3) is a top view of the fastener as applied to a shoe, the ends of the lace being passed through the hole, D, when the fastener is pressed down upon the instep in its proper place, the laces are then drawn firmly at right angles with the shoe which causes the laces to be securely wedged between the upper and lower plates, (the inner surfaces of which may be serrated to prevent the laces from slipping), thus providing a means by which the strings are firmly retained in their places in a substantial and expeditious manner, without any other appliance whatever.

It is evident the fastener may be made of any desired form, and style to suit the taste without changing the nature of the invention.

Having thus described my invention its advantages over the common method will be apparent, as it will be seen this mode of fastening dispenses entirely with the tying of a knot, and saves much trouble and vexation, arising from the laces, becoming entangled in hard knots, it is also more easily secured and quickly released while it is a fastening that is cheap of construction, simple in application, and a superior-article of manufacture, which is durable and ornamental.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Securing shoe laces in the manner set forth by the use of the metallic fastener A when constructed and applied in the manifier and for the purpose substantially as set orth.

LEONARD J. VVORDEN.

Witnesses DEXTER GILLMORE, CHARLES LATHAM. 

